To The End
by Kleevie
Summary: Two old companions finally meet again. A new journey awaits, more dangerous than the previous one. A journey across the country, where their friendship and loyalty will be put to the test. A journey to the end. MuugenxFuu
1. Reunion

Fuu was bent over a table, cleaning it vigorously with a wet piece of cloth. The evening had settled and the tea-house in which she was currently working was quiet, with only a small handful of patrons talking between themselves in hushed tones. The fishing village was a quaint place, not very far from Nagasaki, and not much happened there. She longed for times past and adventure, but she knew dwelling too much on these memories would only make her sad.

She turned her head up, in the direction of the front door of the establishment. A gentle breeze was swaying the piece of cloth hanging on the door, and a strange sound had perked up her attention. It was a regular tapping on the cobblestones, but with a - _metallic_ undertone. _Could it be ? Or is it just wishful thinking, like all the other times ?_

Abandoning the task at hand, Fuu walked outside the tea-house and turned a little to the left. There was nothing here. She could not hear the sound any longer. _Of course it wasn't him. These fantasies... I'm just hurting myself. He is somewhere far away from here, a drink in one hand and a wench in th-_

"Hey girlie."

The world stopped. Abruptly interrupted in her stream of thoughts, she spun around and threw her arms unceremoniously around the pirate's slender waist. It was the oh-so-peculiar sound of his steel-plated geta that she had recognized, and for once, she had been right. Too shocked to form coherent sentences, she laid her head against his chest and breathed in his scent. Funnily enough, she had never been so physically close to him before and should feel embarrassed, but she was submerged by a raging wave of emotions, taking her over from head to toe and disabling her ability to think straight. Her face burrowed in his shirt, she whispered:

"You're back… It's you… You're really back !"

Raising her head, she stared in his eyes.

A smile was playing on his lips. She so rarely saw him smile, genuinely smile, back in the days. It was a sight to behold, and that was exactly what she was doing. Her breathing short, she was at a loss for words. She was clutching him as if she expected him to run away at the first occasion, and he had placed his hands on her hips, barely touching them.

"Yeah, I'm back. Looks like you missed me, girlie" he added with a sly grin.

She pushed herself off him and stumbled backwards, blushing once she realized the possible meaning of her attitude.

"Why would I miss such a jerk as you ?" Her cheeks were hot and her heartbeat was racing. He snorted. _Mugen. He's here. It's real, he's here oh dear what will happen I missed him so much and he hasn't changed why is he here did he come to see me no don't be ridiculous he-_

Fuu's internal rant was suddenly cut short by a sharp reminder of her current duties, as she heard her boss bellow that her presence was required inside, immediately. Or else.

"Still working in a tea-house, heh ?"

She nodded, and Mugen followed her inside, stooping a little to go through the front door.

"What took you so long outside ? The customers are waiting Fuu ! And you still have these tables to clean ! Really, sometimes I wonder why I hired you… Hurry, bring the dumplings and the soup to the couple over there, and the old lady in the corner ordered a green tea. Quick!" her boss berated her.

She was still trembling from the sudden encounter and her mind was preoccupied by anything but her duties as a waitress. She nodded and quickened her step towards the kitchens, grabbed the food and placed it in front of the waiting customers with a short bow and an apology for the delay. She spotted the silhouette of her former bodyguard, slouched on a bench near the entrance. It reminded her of their very first encounter and she smiled. It was so long ago… The memories of this fateful day came flooding back, and she was rooted to the spot, gripped by the intensity of the flashback, and the emotions that were resurfacing. _He was in a corner, just like now. And prevented me to get my fingers chopped off. This was how it all began..._

"Fuu ! This is the last straw ! I have no use of a daydreaming waitress ! You've been of no use to me today, and the clients are complaining. Don't bother to come back tomorrow !"

The angry tone of her boss brought her back to reality full force.

"Sir I'm sorry it won't happen again I promise please I need the money plea-" Fuu begged in one breath, but she was quickly interrupted.

"No. It is not the first time and will certainly not be the last. I was too kind with you for the past months but I should have known better than pity a wandering girl with no money. Now off you go, scram ! I got a business to run here !" He agitated his hands towards the exit, his eyes unforgiving.

Fuu looked at her boss angrily, and retorted in a huff that his tea-house was lame anyway. She walked towards Mugen and nudged him with her foot.

"Come on, I need to leave"

"You're such a dumb broad. Gettin' yourself fired on my account heh ? Stupid girl... I'm hungry, I want food" the pirate grumbled.

"You can eat somewhere else ! You pig ! It's _your_ fault I don't have a job any more so don't start pissing me off !"

"How come it's my fault ? _You_ were the one standing in the middle with your mouth open like an idiot !"

"Shut up Mugen ! If you hadn't come here, I wouldn't have gotten outside and-"

"Will you two cut it short already ? I said OUT !" her ex-boss fumed, gesturing wildly towards the exit.

"Dumb broad…" the pirate repeated under his breath. He finally got up and left the tea-house, steaming brunette in tow. They walked in silence side by side down the street, Fuu still in shock at the the fact that in less than ten minutes, she had reunited with her old companion and got fired from her job, with no warnings. Well, okay, there might have been some warnings, but really, didn't that guy believe in second chances ? Fuu was feeling as if she was walking in a dream. Could all of this be true ? She glanced in the young man's direction, who had his eyes settled firmly on the road in front of him.

"Mugen… Why are you here ? I mean, why did you come back ? You were gone for two years, and the one day you just decide to show up ? What have you been doing all this time ? Did you see Jin ? Have you-"

"Shit girlie, you finally decide to wake up ? You're worse than I remembered, honest. Can't you shut your mouth for a bit ?"

"Answer me ! Why are you here ?"

"Jus' travelling. I was bored. Meh. Maybe I can find some nice chicks to bang and pick up a few fights…" he trailed.

"Still a man whore I see. Don't you have anything better to do, honestly ?" she replied scathingly, pushing small rocks and pebbles out of the way with the tip of her shoe.

"Nah, I'm good, girlie. Don't worry 'bout me. This suits me just fine" he grinned.

Fuu hmpf-ed and stomped the ground. _He didn't change. Not a bit. What were you expecting heh ? He's right, you're a dumb broad. Of course he wouldn't come back for you, hell he didn't even know you were there ! Was it too much to hope he missed me, just a bit ?_

Mugen stopped in front of a small shop selling grilled eels and threw some coins on the counter. The man handed him his food and bid Fuu and him good evening. She was eyeing the fish impaled on thin sticks with hungry eyes and a watery mouth, but Mugen caught her stare before she had the chance to snatch anything.

"Nuh-oh, not even in your dreams, bitch. My money, my food."

"But I'm hungry too !" she moaned, tugging her companion on the sleeve. "Pretty please Mugen ? I promise I'll make it up to you !"

"Pft. No way. You still owe me a hundred dumplings, remember ? And I don't trust your bottomless stomach. You're gonna leave me empty-handed" He punctuated his statement by biting into a choice morsel, and swallowing it whole, juice dribbling on his chin in the process. He looked at her with a satisfied smirk, and wiped his face with the back of his hand.

"Ugh, you're such a pig ! Such a _selfish_ pig!" Fuu looked aggravated, but her eyes were smiling and the tone of her voice was affectionate. She did not care at all about Mugen's lack of table manners at the moment. She was just trying to rekindle that odd dynamic they had when they were travelling and constantly bickering about a whole range of inane subjects.

Mugen finished his meal and handed without a word a stick with two fish morsels to his friend. Fuu looked up at him, bewildered, and sputtered a thank-you, before making a short work of the deliciously grilled eel.

"That was actually nice of you Mugen !" she added in a laugh. They were now taking the direction of the old crumbing shack she was living in, on the outskirts of the small fishing village.

"Well don't be too accustomed to it" he grumbled back. "I jus' didn't want to listen to your constant bitchin' and all."

* * *

They finally made it to her place, and she quickly opened the decaying front door. "It's not much but it's free so I'm not complaining. Nobody's been living here for a long time…"

The shack was in fact a small single room, with creaking floorboards covered by an ageing tatami. Fuu did not have a lot of possessions, and they were all disseminated near her futon. There was a basin close to the entrance with a water pail that she filled with cold water every morning, in the stream running just behind her house. In spite of the poor state of her home, she actually liked it. It reminded her of the small cabin at the top of the hill on Ikitsuki Island, where she finally reunited with her father for a handful of minutes. She had witnessed his death, and the memory marred her for quite some nights, but she had decided to focus on more positive feelings, such as the feeling of completion it gave her to hold his hand after a one-year journey spent looking for him, the warmth of the sun rays and the yellow field of sunflowers…

She plopped down on her futon and Mugen followed suit, letting his scabbard hit the floor and removing his geta.

Turning to face him, she asked once more with a soft voice :"Why are you here Mugen ?"

He took some time to answer, and let his gaze wander on the ceiling. "The government wants me. I am still a convicted criminal. In Osaka, I had to escape from a bunch of guys sent after my head. I've been on the run ever since. I can't stay in a place for too long, and I have no fucking idea where to go. I ended up here because I followed the path we took when we came looking for your samurai"

Fuu was silent for a moment. Worry seeped into her like a poison. _Mugen is in danger. In danger. He's gonna die if they find him._

"So you're leaving tomorrow ?" She could not help her trembling voice.

The pirate merely nodded absently.

"I'm coming with you."

The statement was simple, and her tone offered no discussion. But Mugen could not let her do this.

"No, you're bloody not. You're staying here."

"I'm coming with you, and that's final !" She was on her knees, fist clenched and eyes furious. "No way I'm letting you go that easily, not after all this time ! I don't care about the danger !"

The words escaped her before she could hold them back. She was breathing loudly, mouth set in a line and eyebrows in a frown. The young rogue turned his head and stared at her with storm grey eyes.

"Stupid chick. Them feelings won't get you anywhere you know… You will only bother me, chatting up non-stop and complaining 'bout food and sore feet. And I don't wanna spend my time saving your bony ass from brothels and whatnot. You'll be safer here" he added somewhat more softly.

"I told you, I don't care ! What if they get you ? What if you die and I know nothing about it, wondering all the time if you are still alive and never having an answer ?! I will _not_ stay here ! Two years ago, you and Jin came with me on this journey, you helped me find my father and forgive him… We were together this whole time, we supported each other… Please, let me come with you..."

She ended her passionate pleading short of breath, eyes brimming with unshed tears. The past two years had been excruciating for her. She tried living through a normal daily routine, waitressing in tea-houses or helping out at the market, a smile on her face. She did not move very far from the crossroad where they split their paths. She was not foolish to the point of believing she could travel by herself. So she went from fishing village to fishing village, trying to maintain a happy façade, but her thoughts were always with her two former bodyguards, rueing the day she had to let them go on their way. Her friends. She knew that Jin could live a peaceful life, and he had already dealt with those who wanted his death. But she was much more worried for Mugen, the pirate, the rogue, the faithless man who acted only on instinct. He could get into so much trouble, and even if his sword skill was utterly amazing, sheer number could be the death of him. His face haunted her, she often saw in her dreams his silhouette at the entrance of the cavern where she was prisoner, black against a blinding white light. He came back for her. He came back, saved her life and almost died. She was not ready to let him go to his death again.

His eyes never left her. In the darkness of the room, they appeared almost black.

"Girlie… Be careful what you fish for. This is no game I'm playing, no quest to look for some samurai. If you come with me, they will kill you too."

"Only if they find us !"

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You are too damn stubborn for your own good, Fuu."

The use of her name felt strange, and she knew by that he meant serious business. Most of the time he just addressed insults to her, and for the life of her she could not remember the last time he called her by her given name.

"Do you actually care about me ?" she asked in a teasing tone, trying to lighten up the atmosphere.

"Don't get your hopes up, dummy. I'm just used to saving you, not putting you in danger. 'Tis against my duty as a bodyguard, y'know." A ghost of a smile appeared on his tensed face, and he relaxed his features somewhat.

Fuu chuckled and smiled at him. For good measure, she grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly. "Mugen… I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not. No way I'm just going to let you out of my life again after just one day. Please. Don't make this harder."

Subdued, or maybe too tired to argue, he nodded imperceptibly, and freed his hand from hers, uncomfortable with the intimate contact.

"Alright. But I will be dumping your sorry ass if you ever get yourself kidnapped, got it ?"

In her excitement, Fuu jumped at him and hugged him tightly, her head on his shoulder. Her sudden movement sent them out of balance and they fell from the futon, ending up on the ground in a tangled heap.

"What's with you and the clingy stuff today ? Can't take your hands of off me, can ya ?" His devilish smile made her blush, and she recoiled quickly back on the futon.

"Now who's getting his hopes up, heh ? I'm just glad to see you, that's all. Jerk." The insult at the end was more from habit than anything else, and she could not stop smiling as she made room on her futon so that he could lie next to her, handing him a cover and a warning that he was not to touch her or snore under any circumstances, or he would finish his night outside.

She fell in a deep slumber quickly, but Mugen slept lightly, a hand on his scabbard and all his senses alert.


	2. Departure

Mugen woke up before the first ray of sunshine. His dreams had been plagued by dark figures beckoning him and ships on fire, as they often were since the incident near Satsuma that almost cost him his life.

Sitting up, he contemplated the young woman sleeping peacefully next to him, her breathing even. As he spent the past two years wandering alone, sometimes on paths he had already walked with her and Jin, he realized, albeit grudgingly, that he missed the presence of his companions. The silent ronin and the exuberant young woman had been a constant in his life for a year, and he had came to silently enjoy their journey together. The links he had forged against his will with these two could be called friendship, he supposed, though he had no point of comparison. Before meeting them, he never had any trouble traveling alone. In fact, up until then, he had been fleeing any form of company and had never been able to trust anybody but himself.

Several months ago in Osaka, he barely escaped the group of samurai sent by the shogunate to arrest and execute him. At this moment, he had wished he had Jin fighting by his side, and Fuu there to patch them up afterwards. Following that, he could not chase away the feeling of emptiness inside his heart. His purpose now was to escape the authorities and the death warrant on his head. But he knew he could not spend his life running or hiding. They would find him eventually, and he might not be able to save his skin this time.

Yet once in Nagasaki he could not bring himself to board a Dutch ship and flee Japan, even if it was the most sensible thing to do. Instead, he went to the crossroad where they had all went their separate ways, and took the path that Fuu chose when they parted. He was hoping she had not moved much, after all she was alone and nobody was there to protect her and save her ass if she was kidnapped and brought to a brothel. When he made that reflexion, he discarded any possibility that she had found other bodyguards to accompany her in another mad journey. His heart had clenched at the thought that she could have replaced them. Replaced _him_. Therefore he gladly ignored his doubts and went on ahead.

In every village he crossed he asked about a girl with brown hair and a pink kimono. She was not hard to find at all, only a seven days walk from the crossroads. Contrary to what she believed, their encounter was absolutely _not_ due to chance, but he would never admit that out loud to her. Or to anybody, for that matter.

He had showed up in front of her with a half-baked plan to tell her goodbye and leave in the morning. But really, he had not thought things through. He was not surprised that she had thrown such a tantrum to go with him, and he was actually … _relieved_ ? Maybe that was an answer he did not care to know for the moment.

While he was internally musing on his current situation, he had gotten up and gone behind the shack to fill a pail with water. The stream was running quite low, being the middle of summer, but there was enough. He knelt and sprayed his face, clearing his mind of what he deemed worthless meanderings.

* * *

Back inside, he noticed that Fuu was still sleeping like a log. Smirking, he dipped a dry cloth that was hanging near the basin in the cold stream water, and let droplets fall on Fuu's face. She frowned and pursed her lips to the contact, but did not wake up. Highly amused, he tightly wrung the cloth above her forehead, letting a consequent amount of water fall on her and dribble down her eyes, nose and mouth. She screamed, flung her eyes open and started punching the young rogue wherever she could land a hit, punctuating her efforts with a long stream of insults.

You jackass… how _dare_ you! I invite you in _my_ home… and… _THIS_… is how you repay me ?! Jerk ! Asshole ! Dumbass ! Douchebag !"

She was sputtering and sending water droplets everywhere, punching and hitting and jabbing. Or at least, trying to punch, hit and jab. Mugen escaped her blows without breaking a sweat, and the smirk never left his face. He was rather enjoying the sight of a bed-headed, angry Fuu, eyes squinting and hair sticking up in all directions.

"Time to wake up, girlie. I'm not going to wait forever, so pack your things and hurry up !"

Fuu finally stopped her assault, panting and furious.

"I'm reconsidering ! Without Jin around, I'm afraid on how you're going to treat me, you _ass_. At least he was considerate ! And would never wake me up with cold water ! He behaved like a true gentleman, unlike some _other_ bodyguard I know." She pushed a wet strand of hair out of her eyes, proverbial steam coming out of her ears.

"Of course fish-face would do things better… Go run to him if you miss him so much ! I don't need you complaining about me not being him ! " Mugen hissed, a furious glint in his eyes. The mention of the ronin irritated him to no ends, even though they had departed on good terms (meaning not wanting to kill each other anymore).

"You're such an _idiot_ ! I can't believe I was actually happy of seeing you again yesterday ! But your behavior can really be a pain in the ass sometimes !"

"You weren't complainin' when I was the one to save your ass ! You ungrateful cunt ! And you can't even take a joke properly ! "

"You're insufferable !"

"Well then fine, don't come with me, it's not like I'm forcing you or whatever. _Bitch_."

The tone had quickly escalated to anger and resentment, and Mugen was not about to get on his knees and plead for her presence, or worse yet, apologize to her. He picked up his sword and exited the house without a word, leaving a bewildered and still mad Fuu behind.

_Right then, stay in your old shack, see if I care. Or even better, run into the arms of Fish-face Four-eyes himself, the great god, the hero, the one who always do things right, the samurai who smells of perfection. Can't even take a joke. Dumb bitch. I will be better off alone, just as before. I don't need your whiny ass._

The young man was moving quickly, his geta raising up clouds of sands each time he stepped on the road. He was actually angry at the girl, and at Jin too for some reason, and needed to vent his frustration somehow. Preferably by cutting down someone, but booze would be good too. Even if it was still early morning. He reached the village and paused for a moment, wondering which side to go. It was either returning to Nagasaki and board a ship to the other end of the world, or keep going north in search of a good place to lay low.

He had finally made his choice when a mad clattering of wood against stone broke the silence reigning on the still-asleep village, made him turn around, and intercept the frenetic course of a disheveled, panting and red-cheeked Fuu. She had a rough spun sack strapped to her shoulders, quite heavy by the looks on her face.

"Changed your mind already, did ya ?"

"Apologize to me, Mugen. You were rude for no reason. And you woke me up with cold water, too." She did not look angry any more, but she was entirely determined to extract a repentance from him.

"And why should I do that ? Plus, the water was only a joke. 'T'was supposed to be fun, you know."

"Because ! You need to recognize your own faults sometimes ! And I could have let it slide, if you hadn't added insult to injury, quite literally ! I don't want to be insulted all of the time. I know that you often don't mean it, but when you do, it hurts. A _lot_. Please Mugen. I want to come with you, but I need to know you can do this."

Mugen stayed silent for a while, looking at her. He did not understand _why_ he was even bothering with this, and not running away from the chick and all the problems she was causing him.

"Stop comparing me to Fish-face."

Fuu hold his gaze, her eyes slightly widened by the statement. She nodded once.

"I'm sorry for insulting you. Can we go now ?" His voice was gruff, and he was itching to leave the place.

She smiled, and a strange expression that he could not decipher graced her features. "Thank you, Mugen. I apologize too for comparing you to Jin like that."

It was his turn to nod, shrugging his shoulders like he did not give a damn.

They both started walking north, bathed in the golden light of the sunrise, the cries of seagulls heralding the beginning of a new journey.

* * *

**AN: **Thank you if you took the time to read :) I had theses ideas concerning Fuu and Mugen, and they were desperate to be written down in a story. I hope you like it :) Please, please feel free to correct _anything _that you feel is wrongly done, be it grammar, punctuation, characterization... Concerning spelling, the spell-check I use while writing is US English, but the one installed on my web browser is UK English, so you might find some incoherent spelling. If so, please let me know !


	3. Destination

It was mid-morning and the sky was a pure blue, sun already beating hard on the two travelers. They were walking side by side, and not many words had been exchanged since their departure a few hours ago. The dirt trail was going through a small forest, and the shade provided by the trees was a welcome respite. Small birds chirping away completed the picturesque setting.

Finally, Fuu spoke, addressing a question of utmost importance to her companion.

"So, Mugen. Do you have an idea where we're going ?"

The young man shrugged, his hands clasped behind his head in a gesture of complete carelessness.

"Meh, not really. I thought we could decide on the way."

Fuu was not surprised by his answer, though it still irritated her. "Well sure, but on the way to where ? We need a destination, or at least a general direction, don't we ?"

Still not looking at her, Mugen replied:"You hadn't any direction when we departed to find the samurai who smells of sunflowers, but we found him anyway. So what's the point ? We're going to end up somewhere"

Fuu's exasperation to Mugen's lack of interest was starting to show. Through gritted teeth, she said: "We weren't trying to escape the shogunate at that time ! It is a totally different situation ! Couldn't you act the least bit concerned about our safety ?"

Her angry voice was starting to get on his nerves. He looked at her sideways, rolling his eyes. "Go on then, make a suggestion girlie, I can't wait to hear it."

"Ugh, you're such an ass. Actually, I did think about it." She paused, and added in a more serious tone : "We could go north."

Mugen scoffed. "North, eh ? That's a precise location, thank you so much for your input girlie !"

Fuu was struggling to keep her voice at a reasonable level. He had such a knack to get a rise out of her, and she perfectly knew he enjoyed getting her worked up. She was not about to give him the satisfaction. So she replied as evenly as she could, a muscle twitching in her jaw: "Let me finish, please. Yes, north, but way way north. Like _Ezochi_ north"

Mugen was perplexed. He only knew about the places he travelled by, and this was definitely not one of them. "Uh ? Ezo-_what_ ? Where the hell is that ?"

Of course, she did not let the occasion to make fun of his ignorance slip. "Oh come on ! Don't you know anything ? Ezochi is the largest island to the north of Honshu, which is where we met each other. This place is not much inhabited, and the shogunate doesn't care much about it, since it's so quiet. They would not think about looking for us there, and if they did, they would have a hard time finding us."

He was not entirely convinced by this genius plan of hers. He could see many flaws, the first one being that they were more likely to be remembered by any villagers that saw them if the place was as deserted as she pretended it to be, and the officials looking for them would just have to ask about two strangers passing by and could follow their trail too easily. Yet it was worth the risk, so long as the shogunate did not know they were travelling together. They could also avoid the villages. There was still the matter of getting there without being noticed that had to be settled.

"Well suppose we go to your Ezochi place. We still need to trek all the way up north, and pass through big cities with a lot of shogunate bastards waiting for me to show my head."

Fuu huffed. "You talk like you are the most wanted criminal in Japan ! Do I need to remind you that the shogunate was also after my head two years ago ? Yet they didn't manage to kill me, and you and Jin have taken care of their most skilled assassins. The goons they employ are not much threat for you, are they ?"

Mugen shook his head. The girl was too optimistic. "Who knows, maybe another blind chick deadly with a sword is waiting for us in the next inn we pass by. We shouldn't be so sure about their lack of power. This would only make us careless and easier to catch. never underestimate your enemy, girlie. That's one important thing to know if you wish to stay alive."

The young woman would not let such a trivial matter deter her from reaching the objective she had set for them a few minutes ago. "Then we just have to take another way. Japan has two main coasts. We could go to Ezochi by following the north coast and the Sea of Japan, and we should not encounter a lot of people. This side of the country is almost as deserted as Ezochi, and there are no big cities that I can recall. If we stay careful and not cause any trouble, we should make it without getting noticed. That will be a long journey though. More than a year I guess."

At the mention of trouble, she had directed a pointed look to the ex-pirate, knowing full well what he was capable of. Mugen frowned, lines etching between his eyebrows. His hands were no longer crossed behind his head, but rather on his torso. He stopped walking and looked at Fuu in the eyes. "Traveling through an empty land ? That sounds like madness. Where are we going to get food and supplies ?"

She moaned, placing one hand on her grumbling stomach. "Speaking of food, I hadn't had any in the past three hours, I'm starving !"

Mugen exploded."Oh for fuck's sake, can't you control your stomach a bit ? Porky ! See what I mean ? You won't last a month if we travel by the route you suggest."

Offended, Fuu replied: "Shut up, my appetite is totally healthy, I'm a growing girl ! And we were discussing important matters. I think that we can manage by hunting or gathering food in the wild, don't you think ? And when winter comes, we will hole up in a village during the worst of it, and be on our merry way as soon as the snow melts."

Considering how much food the girl needed to keep from complaining all the time, Mugen was not altogether convinced it was a good idea to rely on nature only to feed themselves. "Meh… Sounds like suicide to me"

Mimicking her companion position, Fuu crossed her arms."And what would you do ? Walk into Edo with your head held high ? Well good for you, because that would be the last you see of it !"

Grinning a savage smile, Mugen started walking again, hands behind his head. "I said it sounded like suicide, but I'd rather die in the wild rather than with my head chopped off by a fat balding shogunate son of a bitch. Okay fine then, works for me. To Ezochi we go, and all sense be damned."

"Sense ? Do you actually _know_ that word Mugen ?" Fuu said said with a chuckle.

"Shut up, bitch. If this doesn't work out, I'll blame it all on you."

"And a lot of good it will do you, considering we will both be dead if that's the case." With her nose up in the air, she added: " I' am glad you agree that my plan is absolutely _perfect_, and that I _always_ have great ideas. _I'm_ the one with sense here."

Mugen snorted.

"And about that food we mentioned, don't you think it'd be time to have a small snack ? Plus, my feet hurt."

"No porky, we're not stopping until dusk, and that's the end of it ! Walk on your hands if you hurt so much. Damn, you're such a _girl_ !"

"And what's that supposed to mean exactly ? Bastard !"

They continued forward, bickering like always, the sun now high in the sky.

* * *

Mugen was adamant that they kept a rapid pace, and slept outside as much as possible, to the discontent of Fuu (which she did not hesitate to voice loudly, several times). They did not stop for lunch, barely nibbling on salted fish while walking.

The path they were on was alternating between lush forests and coastline. The sight of the sea was always a welcome one for Fuu, the beautiful and glinting blue expanse bringing serenity to her. She particularly took comfort in it after her separation with her bodyguards, often walking on the beach, the water gently lapping at her feet.

There, she cried a lot at the beginning, remembering the first time she had seen the ocean, just before a nasty encounter with Mugen's past. It had been such a magic moment ! She had felt like a child, jumping and playing in the sea, under the amused eyes of Jin and Mugen both. She cherished this memory, and as time went by, the regular rhythm of the waves started to soothe her, and kept away the heart-wrenching sadness that overwhelmed her only a few minutes after she had said goodbye to her friends.

The gruff voice of the man walking beside her took her out of her reverie.

"What's with you girlie ? You look funny."

She turned her head towards her companion, smiling. He had gratified her with a sidelong glance, eyebrows raised and a hint of concern in his eyes.

"I am fine Mugen. I was just thinking on how much I love the sea. Don't you love it too ?" she added with a happy sigh.

"Yeah. When I was young, in the Ryukyus, I saw the sea like a prison, and I hated the bitch. It was the sea that was separating me from the rest of the word, it was its fault if I was stuck there and couldn't move, condemned to live in this shithole forever. But when I started with Mukuro ..." He paused and frowned at the mention of his old pirate accomplice that had stabbed him in the back twice, almost killing him in the process. "... I discovered that I liked manning a ship and sailing on the ocean. The bounty was a great bonus." He smirked. "For once I was good at something, and I felt free. So I _kinda_ changed my mind about the sea."

Fuu had stayed silent, listening to Mugen confide in her. He usually was not one to talk, least of all about personal matters. So she rejoiced in his deep, masculine voice and the relaxed look on his face. He was even smiling ! She felt her heart burst with affection for the young man, and giggled like a child when he finished.

In a tentative voice, she said: "Maybe ... maybe we could do part of the journey by boat, if we can find one ... I don't know if it would save some time, but we would be harder to catch, no ?"

"Yeah, definitely. I'd like that. You _can_ have good ideas once in a while, girlie."

He looked at her and smiled so genuinely that she thought her heart would explode. She had never, ever saw him smile like that. Usually, his smiles were induced by food, booze or women, and had a lusty quality to them, reflected in his storm grey eyes. But this was different. This was sincere, and with his features relaxed, he actually looked happy.

In a soft voice, she said: "I'm glad you think so, Mugen. I really look forward to this journey. I'm tired of being alone."

Giving her another sidelong glance, Mugen nodded, and the continued walking in silence.

* * *

"Okay, I think we can stop here".

The pair had strayed from the path, looking for a refuge in the thick mass of trees, far away from prying eyes and potential dangers. Mugen had finally settled on a small clearing with a stream nearby that was immediately assaulted by a thirsty and filthy Fuu.

After quenching her thirst and washing the dirt off her face, she sat down near Mugen, who was slouched against a tree. Rummaging in her large sack, she extracted two thin bedrolls, crumpled quilts and some salted fish wrapped in tissue.

"These won't last long ... We should start looking for edible food tomorrow while walking."

Mugen responded by grabbing a handful of fish and stuffing it into his mouth.

"Mugen ! I said that we had to be careful ! Stop eating like a pig !" To prove her point, Fuu grabbed his wrist as his hand was already sneaking back to the pile of food. "I said _no_ ! You've had enough for tonight ! If you want more, you will have to catch it yourself !"

"Look who's talking ! You're the piggy girl ! Always munchin' down food or complainin' that you're hungry." Mugen got rid of her hand in a flick of his wrist, and laid back against the tree.

"Well I am a growing girl ! You're not ! So tomorrow you will go fishing !"

He scoffed at her antics, and devoured another piece of fish to make his point clear, to the utmost annoyance of the girl.

"Well fine, be an ass ! Don't forget that _I_ am the one who brought food ! Without me you'd be sleeping with an empty stomach !"

"Yeah, sleepin' would be good right now. That means you need to shut your loud mouth."

They both did not have the energy to argue any more, being drained by a long day of efforts. They lied down on their bedrolls, no far away from each other, and concluded their incessant arguing.

"Yeah yeah, whatever you say Mugen. Good nigh, jerkt."

"Good night, girlie"

As always, he kept his hand on the handle of his katana, ready to bounce and slash through any unwanted visitors. Fortunately, the night was peaceful, and the only unwanted visitors were appearing in their dreams.

* * *

**AN**: Ezochi is the old name for Hokkaido :) The island went under a tight control of the shogunate in the 19th century, after a threat of invasion from the Russians. But hey, this is Samurai Champloo, and historical accuracy is _not_ a prerequisite ^^


	4. Emotions

After a week of intensive efforts, they had successfully bypassed Fukuoka, a big metropolis crawling with shogunate officials they needed to avoid at all costs, and dived deeper into the dense forest covering the northern part of the island. They were heading north-east, towards the strait of Kammon on the Moji peninsula. According to Fuu's map, it was the safest place to take a ferry to Honshu, considering it was less populated than Kokura, the neighboring town, often regarded as the mandatory passage between the two islands.

On their way, they had not encountered a lot of villages, and never stopped for the night. Fuu was slowly getting the idea that this was no easy journey they were getting into, but their only chance to survive the death warrants on their heads. She was still wanted as Kasumi Seizo's daughter, even if nobody bothered her for the two years she spent alone. She was not as important as Mugen, convicted felon, guilty of a long string of crimes and offenses, and most of all, escapee of the death penalty. He represented everything the shogun wanted to eliminate in his country, and he was far too wild to be tamed or forgotten and let in peace. When she thought about this, Fuu could barely hold her anger. They had already gone through so much pain, would it never stop ?

But she would quickly dismiss these thoughts and get back to the current situation at hand, which was getting themselves out of the forest in one piece and quickly. And preferably close to the Moji peninsula. To Fuu's immense regret, they did not talk much, concentrating their efforts on following a path almost invisible under the thick underbush, and brushing branches, leaves and lianas out of their way was their main occupation. Mugen was strongly resisting to the appealing urge of slashing and cutting through the mass of vegetation with his sword, but he perfectly knew it would make following them too easy by leaving an unmissable trail of debris behind them. So they grunted and sweated their way through, ripping their clothes, thorns slashing though their skin and leaving red angry marks on their arms, legs and cheeks.

"Stop ! I can't go on anymore ! Let's stop for today."

Fuu's plea was met with a groan of approval. They had just crossed a small stream, relishing in the coldness of the water. Right now, this was Heaven for Fuu and after the hellish day they just went through, she had no intention to move. She had collapsed on her knees on the muddy bank, her tired legs refusing to hold her weight anymore, her battered knapsack laying abandoned next to her. Mugen was leaning against a large tree, visibly relieved too. He swung his scabbard on the ground, letting himself slide against the rough bark.

"That place is a real shithole. How long 'til we get outta here ?"

"Well let's see..." Still sprawled unceremoniously on the ground, Fuu extracted the map from her kimono. "According to the map, we should see the end of it by tomorrow evening, if we an keep a good pace." She sighed wistfully. "Oh, how I long for a bath ! And a bed ! Maybe we could stay in an inn for once, we certainly have enough money to afford it."

"Maybe if you weren't rolling in the mud all the time you wouldn't need a bath that much, porky !" He was smirking at the young woman who had mud splattered on her rosy cheeks. Huffing, she got to her feet, her nose in the air, and gave a nasty look to her companion.

"Look who's talking ! You're the one who never washes ! You smell like like a dead horse !"

"That's just the smell of a real man, girlie. But I'm not surprised you know nothin' 'bout that".

He was sporting a huge grin and that infuriated Fuu to no end. She was all the more flustered by the devilish glint in his eyes that sent her heart in a frenetic fluttering. She felt her cheeks reddening.

"And how would you know that ? I've had plenty of suitors, admiring my beauty and my intelligence and-"

"Yeah _right_ ! Like I'm gonna believe that."

"Pffft you're just jealous ! I actually _dated_ someone ! And I didn't need to _pay_ him !"

"Say that again !"

Mugen had abruptly gotten up and was now looking down at Fuu, mere centimeters form her face. She had not told the whole truth about her date (which was that she ended it as soon as it began and ran down to the beach, sobbing uncontrollably for reasons she could not quite fathom) but that did not deter her from participating in a staring contest with her companion.

"You heard what I said ! I don't need to go to brothels to have someone pay attention to me, unlike _you_ !"

"And who said I _wanted_ someone to pay attention to me ?" He was positively gnarling at the young woman, looming over her, his eyes holding an expression she could not decipher.

Standing very still, she suddenly got the impression that she had overstepped the line. She continued in a softer voice, still looking at him in the eyes.

"Doesn't anybody ? Mugen, you just have to... let your guard down a bit."

He snorted and shook his head.

"Girlie, I kill for a living. Lettin' my guard down ain't an option if I want to stay alive."

"But I'm not talking about fights ! Anyway, you're too thick to understand the subtleties of relationships." She punctuated her statement with a sharp flick of her fingers on his head, and quickly took a step back. Their close proximity was becoming uncomfortable, especially with the kind of subject they were discussing, and he was a lost cause in any case.

"Hey ! What the hell was that for ?!" He rubbed the sport where she had hit him, shooting her a venomous look.

She merely giggled at the sight, looking at him affectionately.

"I'm going to wash up a bit" she said, picking up her sack and making a face at its weight.

"What do you have in here that's so heavy ?" Mugen asked, his hand reaching towards it. She held it close to her chest, protective of what was currently containing her whole life in the form of various objects, broken or valueless, but very dear to her heart. She also had packed useful items for travelers, such as bedrolls and covers, dried food and a spare yukata.

"This is mine ! Don't you dare look inside it !"

"Chill out, I was just asking !"

Mugen was nonetheless intrigued. What could the girl carry around with her all the time that was so precious ? He made a point of finding out later to satisfy his curiosity. Even if a small voice in his head told him that the last time he had snooped in her belongings, he had been in for a surprise. The fake diary she had written to teach both him and Jin a lesson had not been a pleasant experience for the young man, as Fuu had made a point to show she largely preferred the ronin's company and looks to his. It had stung his ego badly, convinced that he was the girl had a crush on him at the time.

He watched her move upstream, and follow a bend in the river that would hid her partially from his view. Not that he would look, he was not interested in flat dumb bitches like her. He went back to his tree and reclined, enjoying a moment of silence, without the constant jabbering of the young woman. Even if said jabbering had been considerably toned down during their harsh trekking in the damned forest. It looked like a bloody jungle, and he did not like at all the fact that a careful man could follow them from a distance without being spotted. The soil was wet, camouflaging the sound of footsteps, and the dense foliage offered a good protection. But he trusted his instinct to warn him if an undesired presence was looming near. For the moment, his main preoccupation was thinking about food and sleep.

He listened to the distant patter of Fuu splashing in the stream. The water was very shallow, no more than ankle-deep, so fishing tonight's dinner was out of the question. Maybe he could look for some berries somewhere...

He had barely gotten up when he heard a loud scream and a lot of water-related sounds.

In the blink of an eye, he had his sword drawn and was standing in front of Fuu, looking for an enemy presence, his heart racing. He spotted a slim brown form close to her ankle and brought his sword down with all his might. She was still screaming when the venomous snake was hacked in two, rendered harmless by Mugen's steel.

With urgency in his voice, he asked her "Did it bit you ?"

She was trembling, and shook her head, still petrified, her brown eyes wide and her skin a deadly white.

"Come on, it's dead now. Can't harm you. Let's go back."

Mugen came closer to her, sending the bits of snake away by shooting in them. She was still rooted to the place. He noticed that she had taken off her kimono and was just standing there with bindings around her breasts and a cloth tied at her waist. He could not help but notice she had grown a little, conserving her slim frame, but with a more feminine aspect to it. He went back to the bank and retrieved a pale blue yukata that was protruding from the rucksack. He awkwardly wrapped the garment around her shoulders.

The contact of his hot skin on her shoulder seemed to bring her back to reality. She snapped her head and looked at him in the eyes, whispering a thank-you and a sorry before collapsing in his arms, crying convulsively .

Mugen was at a loss of what to do. He wrapped one arm against her back and slid one under her knees, and carried her back to the place they had stopped to. He set her down and made a move to retrieve her backpack. Her hand shot towards his sleeve and grabbed it.

"Please, stay with me a little while longer." Her voice was barely audible, and she was still shaking. He sat down next to her, readjusting her yukata, that was starting to fall down one shoulder. After a small silence, she explained herself.

"I've always hated snakes. It's more than just a common fear, I... I really lose it when I see one. When a was a little girl, one bit me. I got really sick and I nearly died. Since then, they terrify me." She brought her knees closer and hugged them, her head resting on top of them.

Mugen did not say anything. The girl was clearly in shock, but he had no idea what to do to bring her back to her cheerful self. A moment passed where they just sat there next to each other, not a word being exchanged. Finally, Fuu spoke up.

"Thank you. For dealing with it. And... for not making fun of me. It's such a girly fear, I thought you would... ". She tried to laugh and cried at the same time, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "I really am ridiculous", she added with a chuckle.

"Well I think that from now on I will have to come with you whenever you bath, for your own safety !"

Mugen lusty tone and sexy smirk made her laugh for good, and colors came back to her cheeks.

"Don't worry girlie, I'll always be around to chop in two those slimy bastards."

She looked at him, deeply touched by the sincerity in his eyes. She knew that he was a loyal man, and that he cared about his friends. He was just hiding everything away under a good layer of Mugen-ness.

Acting before she had a chance to think things over, she leaned into him and planted a small kiss on his unshaven cheek. She lingered just a moment to inhale his smell (that she actually found much more attractive than she let on earlier) and quickly got to her feet, leaving a stunned Mugen behind her. Her heart was beating wildly, she felt the blood rush to her face and her breathing was coming shorter. A rueful smile spread on her face. _That was quite enjoyable, if I do say so myself. _

Carefully, she went back to where she had left her rucksack and her kimono, deliberately not looking at the remains of the snake standing nearby. She grabbed her possessions and returned to where she came from, noticing that Mugen had not moved an inch since her impromptu kiss. _Was it that big a deal ? Friends kiss all the time, right ? Well at least in Europe they do. And it was on the cheek ! _

"Are you hungry ? There's still some dried fish left, enough for today at least. And maybe we can find something here before the sun goes down."

Her questions fell on deaf ears. Mugen was no more in a mood to think about food and sore limbs.

"Care to explain what you just did ?" A storm was brewing in his eyes, and he was looking at her fiercely.

"What ? I didn't do anything !"

"Yes you did ! You _kissed_ me !" His tone was accusatory, like she had committed a vile crime and had some serious explaining to do.

"On the cheek ! Come on, it's no big deal ! It's not like I proposed or something ! Gee, I'm sorry I offended you ! I didn't think you would be so disgusted by a measly kiss !" She was getting angry now, hurt by the apparent repulsion her mark of affection had elicited from him. Tears were threatening to fall, _again_. _No. I will not cry twice in front of him in the same day ! I'd rather eat a snake ! Alive !_

Mugen was finding himself unable to speak, _again_. The thunderous explosion that had occurred in his heart at the contact of her lips on his skin had rendered him powerless. He should not be feeling this, he should not be feeling _at all_. Feelings were for _girls_, not for manly men wielding swords and drinking sake. That was actually the first time someone had kissed him on the cheek, and the chaste act had awoken not-so-chaste thoughts in the back of his mind. _Leave it to the dumb broad to act all innocent ! I wouldn't want her even if she was the last female on earth !_

The silence was heavy between them, punctuated by the loud chirping of birds. They both sported murderous looks, and were slowly moving closer to each other, their bodies acting of their own free will. They soon found themselves pressed up against the other, their eyes still locked in a virulent confrontation. Fuu was craning her neck upwards, her desire to smack him hard on the head slowly melting away, replaced by _another_ desire, much stronger, burning inside of her. Trembling, she lifted one hand to his cheek, feeling the rough stubble underneath, and lightly traced nonsensical patterns with the tips of her fingers, lost in the intensity of his gaze. Meanwhile, he had slithered one arm behind her back, bringing her closer, closer, closer until his muscles were hurting for holding her so tightly. The folds of her yukata were coming lose, exposing her shoulders and the top of her bindings. Their heads were dangerously close to one another, still guided by this primal instinct, this urge to close any gap between them, consequences be damned, and they could both feel the breath of the other on their skin. Still keeping her left hand on his cheek, she let the other one fall down along his arm, shivers erupting at her touch, and she clutched his hand, closing her eyes, incapable of bearing such a pressure. Her mind was entirely blank, and her body only existed at the places she could feel him, his arm across her back, his hand in hers, his hair brushing her forehead.

Mugen could not hold it anymore. His mind lost in a whirlwind of sensations, smells, desire, tickling hair, and small hands on his body, he brought his lips down to hers. She stood on the tips of her toes, receiving his passionate embrace, her knees buckling under her. His arm was holding her in place as they both lost complete track of everything, sharing a kiss long overdue, boiling skin against boiling skin, hands grasping each other, tongues dancing a ballet them alone could understand, plunging in an inferno of desire and passion, their lips on fire and heart rates sky-rocketing.


	5. Promise

They started to feel the rain pouring down on them long after it started.

Soaked to the bone, their clothes sticking to their sweaty, burning skin, hair damp and rivulets of rainwater cascading down their faces, they looked at each other, short of breath, bewildered at what had just happened between them, their eyes trying to speak the words their (very swollen) lips could not pronounce.

Entangled in each other for an undetermined period of time, they had lost any connection to the outside world. Only the contact between their skin, their lips and tongues had been real, infused with the passion that was devouring them. Getting more and more intoxicated by the new sensations bubbling and exploding inside of them had been their only goal, regardless of anything else. No rational thought had crossed their minds. Fuu had one hand tightly wound in his thick black mane while the other one had somehow found a way under his red shirt, flat against the hot skin of his back, sensing the muscles underneath contract to her touch. Her yukata, now completely drenched, had slipped off her shoulders, helped by the wandering hands of the young man in front of her. Both of them were now resting almost innocently on her hips, griping her, not wanting to let her go. She was still feeling their scalding touch, the rough sensation of the calloused fingers on her shoulders branded in her mind. Her bindings were completely exposed but she had yet to care. They had not moved from their previous position, foreheads resting against each other, their noses brushing, eyes fixated on the other's pupils. Their ragged breaths were slowly calming down, sense returning to their minds, and a sudden rush of awareness coursed through the two young fugitives.

Fuu could not utter a word. She was now extremely conscious of a lot of things, Mugen's hands on her hips, his wet hair under her right palm, his burning skin under the left one, something _else_ pressed against her belly, but most of all, a creeping sensation of shame overcoming her. His indecipherable grey eyes, pupils twice the normal size, were fixated on hers, their color entrancing, the grey of summer storm clouds, a hurricane raging in their depths. She started to shiver, the rain still falling, making him look exactly like that time in the church, when he had emerged from the ocean to save her from the three demented brothers. How she had fiercely loved him at that moment ! She remembered her heart leaping, crashing, being tortured at the idea that he was sacrificing himself for her, so that she could at last achieve the long journey they had made together.

The situation was unbearable. None of them were speaking, and she could sense the tension rising again. Now that she had a clear mind, she wanted nothing more than kiss his lips and hold him close. But the shame, the crippling sensation of being weak, of giving herself up so easily made her remove her hands from him and take a step back, slowly. She averted her eyes when his arms fell back to his sides, the comforting presence on her hips no longer there. She awkwardly readjusted the folds of her clothing, hiding her pale skin from his view, and crossed her arms against her chest.

After a few moment of intently staring at the mud on the ground, she finally lifted her eyes, and tried to muster a calm, even voice. Assuming a straight posture, she held her head high, assembled all her courage and looked straight in those mesmerizing grey irises.

"This never happened. Do you hear me, Mugen ? It _never_ happened, and must _not_ happen again."

Her voice wavered, and she bit her lip, waiting anxiously for a reaction. She actually _wanted_ it to happen again, she wanted it so badly it was scaring her. But she knew Mugen and his way with women, and decided he could not be trusted. She felt vulnerable enough in their day-to-day life, sentiment enforced by her nasty encounter with a snake not an hour ago. Succumbing to his charms would only make her an even more helpless fool that she already was.

He merely nodded, still incapable of speech. Frowning, he turned his back on her, picked up his scabbard and slung it across his back. She released a breath she did not know she was holding. The situation was absolutely surreal. She stared at the back of his hair, his thick mane of black hair now sleek with rainwater, droplets running along the tan skin of his neck.

"We should find somewhere to spend the night, the sun is about to set, and this rain could turn into a storm."

His words had been devoid of any emotion, he was just stating a fact. He made her think of Jin, always hiding behind a mask of absolute calmness, even when he was raging inside. At this precise moment, she missed the presence of the ronin more than ever before since they started this second journey. Jin had always been the buffer between her and Mugen, had always diffused whatever tension existed and had put an end to many arguments. Now that he was not there anymore to maintain the balance, everything had shifted, the equilibrium was broken, and Fuu had no clue on how to handle it.

She picked up her rucksack and her folded kimono, both laying abandoned not far from there, and they set foot in the light pitter-patter of rain, exhausted and lost in thought.

* * *

The rain had made the soil slippery and his geta were soon caked in mud. He was advancing at a brisk pace down a gentle slope, eyes dead set in front of him, on the lookout for some kind of shelter to spend the night.

The forest was a magnificent tableau of greens and golds, basked in the warm light of the setting sun, raindrops shining on every leaf, pink clouds visible through the thick foliage. But Mugen had no consideration whatsoever for the jungle's aesthetics. He had focused his mind on one task, and would not deviate from it. If he did, it would mean thinking about what had happened, and he was not ready for this. Probably would never be. Right now, he just wanted to cut down a lot of things for several hours. If only they were close to any form of civilization, he could have easily picked up a fight with drunkards or men unconscious enough to challenge him. The pent-up energy in him had to be released somehow, and he accelerated his rhythm.

He heard branches being pushed apart and twigs being stepped onto right behind him. The girl had not spoken since they had moved camp, and he was glad he could finally have a break from her usual incessant chatting. In fact, if she could just disappear into thin air, it would solve many problems. She was almost running now, trying to keep up with him without tripping. He was expecting her to complain and ask him to slow down, but she did no such thing. He heard her breathing getting more and more laboured as they trekked down the path, but not a word escaped her lips.

Finally, after almost one hour of wandering, he spotted a huge pile of rocks jutting out from the ground, tangled in roots and vines, but arranged in such a way that they formed a small cave in the middle, sealed off from the exterior apart from the crack barely wide enough to let him slip through.

Fuu was right behind him, looking apprehensively at the dark gap in front of her.

"Are you sure it's empty ?"

"Well, we'll find out soon enough."

He drew his sword out and entered the cave, blade pointing forward. Fuu had not waited long when she heard his voice deformed by the echo calling her.

"Nah it's empty. You can come in, girlie."

Her heart did a small somersault at the use of the nickname. _Stupid Fuu, stupid !_ He had always called her that. She found it endearing now, but that was certainly far from the intention of the young man. In any case, she was glad he pretended like nothing had changed. Maybe nothing _had_ changed and she had just dreamt up the whole sequence… She carefully made her way over, pushing aside the foliage and squeezing herself through the opening. The inside was completely dark, the only source of light being the crack through the stone that she had just traversed. The night being almost upon them, she could barely see the glint on Mugen's blade before he put if back in its scabbard with a metallic sound echoing eerily around them.

"Right… Well I suppose we cannot make a fire. There's still some dried fish, and those weird-looking fruits from yesterday." She was rummaging through her sack, the task of locating food much more difficult in the dark. "Oh and… here are some dried sweet potatoes too." She sat down on a dry bed of leaves, her eyes slowly adjusting to the lack of light. Mugen was slouched against the rock so close to her that their knees were almost touching. The cave was small, they would barely have the room to sleep next to each other. Fuu was embarrassed at the thought of being so close to him after the _incident_, but Mugen was not thinking about anything. He took the food she handed him, grunted a thank-you, and gobbled it down in seconds.

Fuu was eating silently, slowly masticating, her eyes lost somewhere on Mugen's shirt.

The silence was oppressing in such a small place. Even though he would never admit it, he rather liked having Fuu chatting about nonsense when they were eating, or before going to sleep, or even when they were on the road. He always answered her at best with monosyllabic phrases, but she did not seem to care, she always had a happy smile and cheery eyes. Tonight was so different from the usual that he was feeling uncomfortable. Maybe it had something to do with the… _thing_ that happened earlier, but he was still reluctant to think about it.

She had now finished eating, but did not make a sound. She also seemed intent on avoiding eye-contact.

"Are you going to stay silent until we reach that godforsaken place of yours ?"

Fuu looked up, startled.

"No, I - I'm sorry. It's just… I don't… I mean it's -"

She was looking away again, and did not finish her sentence. The cave was now completely dark, but Mugen could perceive her movements as light as day. He frowned, annoyed at her confused speech, and felt anger bubbling inside of him.

"Listen girlie, I don't know what's gotten into you, but I'm not going to like your attitude much if you keep on whining like a baby. Get a grip, will ya ?"

Fuu choked on her words.

"What do you mean, you don't know what's gotten into me ? How can you be so _stupid_ ?" Her voice was rising in volume, her frustration getting the better of her.

He smirked to the sudden change he was witnessing in her behavior, always content to get an easy rise out of her.

"Care to enlighten me, girlie ?"

Fuu could not believe it. Was he actually _enjoying_ the situation ? That jerk.

"You very well know what I'm talking about !" She was on her knees, leaning forward, chest heaving and eyes squinting, trying to give him the meanest look she could muster. She did not really care that he would not see her in the dark.

She yelped when she heard him whispering in her ear "I think I might need a refresher…" He had moved so silently he completely took her by surprise. Was he _flirting_ with her ? She decided to ignore her raging heartbeat and the creeping warmth of his skin to close to hers. She shoved him back as hard as she dared, not wanting him to bash his head against the hard rock behind.

He snickered. She huffed.

"You're such a pig. You cannot keep your hands off me for more than a minute, can you ?"

"You weren't complaining much the last time, girlie."

She could feel his piercing gaze on her face, the tension skyrocketing in less than a second. She wanted to resist the temptation laying right in front of her. After all, she had told him not so long ago that it would never happen gain. What would he think of her if she gave in so easily ? Maybe he was just passing time with her. He was bored, she was a convenient distraction. Her heart clenched at the thought.

"Stop it, Mugen. I told you, it -"

She was abruptly stopped by his burning lips on hers. He took her bottom lip between his teeth, tracing it lightly with his tongue. She was shivering underneath his touch, he could feel her trembling, resisting, her hands on his shoulders ready to push him away again. He pulled back from the kiss, feeling the same inferno of sensation than before exploding in his chest. He had acted on instinct, his impulse guided by the strong desire he had at the moment to kiss her mouth shut. He pushed back any guilty thoughts at the back of his mind and held her face between his hands, his thumbs right under her eyes.

"Tell me to stop, girlie."

His voice was nothing short of a growl, guttural, raw with desire, want, lust.

She felt his breath on her tingling lips. She was trembling, her resolve crumbling inside of her. How could she say no ? She would regret it badly afterwards, she was sure of it. But the pull she felt towards him was nothing she had ever experienced. For once, she just wanted to let go of the restraints she had forced herself into since she first felt attracted to the pirate. Shutting her conscience at the back of her mind, she edged closer to him, her hand finding its spot in his hair. She barely touched his lips with hers, and murmured "Don't stop…" against his skin. He did not need to be told twice.

He kissed her, and kissed her again, and again, and again, lightly, butterfly touches, until he could not be gentle anymore. She opened her mouth to take a breath, and he seized the opportunity to slide his tongue inside. She brought his head closer, leaning against him, gripping his hair and his shirt, losing herself in him. He had his back against the cool stone, Fuu was straddling him, and he wanted her closer, he wanted her skin against his own.

The cave was now resonating in kissing sounds, loud breaths, moans, and fabric being touched, shuffled, pushed apart by meandering hands.

Fuu had managed to untie his shirt, and was now caressing lightly his flat stomach, feeling the taunt muscles underneath and his chest rising and falling with every breath. She put her hand right above his heart, and sensed the pulsation under her palm, this glorious sign of life, a life she cherished so much and had almost lost too many times to count, a life that was so entwined in hers now that she could not imagine it any other way… A sudden wave of emotions overcame her and she gasped for air.

Mugen felt the hot, burning tears falling on his cheeks right before hearing a strangled sob. He pulled away from the kiss, startled, and raised an eyebrow at the crying young woman in front of him. For the life of him, he could not guess what had gone wrong.

"What's wrong ?"

She tried to talk but only hiccuped and her sobs doubled in intensity. "No-nothing… I'm s-sorry, everything's fine…"

He had little to none experience with crying females, always trying to avoid the painful situation, and thus had not the first idea on how to make her stop. He put a finger under her chin and forced her to meet his eyes. The sight of her face stained with tears troubled him somewhat.

"Come on, tell me what's wrong girlie. Do I need to chop someone in tiny bits ?"

She laughed a little, and he smiled. The sobbing had stopped, but she still looked pretty miserable.

Staring right in his eyes, she said "I just don't want to lose you… I couldn't stand it, you know ?" She tried to push back the tears threatening to resurface, scolding herself for being such a _girl_. Her thoughts were jumbled, and she definitely needed some time to think about the mess she had put herself in. Mugen gratified her with his trademark devilish smirk, and she truly smiled at him.

"You dumb broad. You're not gonna lose me, even if you wanted to. Stop worrying and give ol' Mugen a kiss now !"

She snorted at his ridiculous expression, his lips puckered forward and eyes closed in the terrible imitation of a kiss, barely visible in the darkness. She flicked him on the forehead, and witnessed one of his rare smiles, with something akin to affection showing in his eyes.

"Now, that's more like it. But I was serious about the kiss."

"I think we should go to sleep. We have a long walk tomorrow if we want to reach the coast before sundown."

She made a movement to disentangle herself from his, but he stopped her with an iron arm, brought her close to him and held her tight. She circled his waist and answered his hug in kind, head buried in his shoulder. He had his cheek against her hair and for some bizarre reason, felt something stir in the deepest part of his soul. He squeezed her tighter, inhaling her scent, and whispered in her ear: "I'm not gonna leave you, girlie. I promise." She sighed against his skin, enjoying the moment to its fullest.

After a long moment in silence, they finally broke up their embrace. Without looking at each other, they prepared themselves for the night. Fuu extracted the sleep rolls and covers from her bag. A light breeze entered the cave, refreshing the stuffy atmosphere, and lifted her hair a little. She appreciated the cool touch of the wind on her neck, feeling herself calm down.

They laid next to each other, almost touching but not daring to. Fuu tried to clear her mind and focused on the sounds and the earthy smells of the cave. Some nocturnal insects were chirping in the forest, the wind was rustling the foliage, and Mugen's respiration was already even, indicated he had fallen asleep right away. _What a sloth…_ were her last thoughts of the day.

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**AN:** Guys, thank you for the favourites, reviews and follows ! I know the chapters are short, I'm slowly working on that. Hope you enjoyed !**  
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